Tory’s get-tough message turned into campaigning

IT is the unenviable duty of the Prime Minister to address the country at moments of national disaster or tragedy.

The responsibility falls to the PM to explain what has happened, offer reassurance and hold the nation’s hand amid grief and devastation.

In the wake of the Manchester Arena atrocity, Theresa May was pitch perfect.

She voiced the anger we all feel at the way innocent lives were taken and she shared our pride in the way the people of the city responded with countless acts of kindness.

She united the country two weeks ago but risked dividing it yesterday. At first glance Mrs May gave an impressive show of defiance as she declared “enough is enough”.

Then she turned a message of condolence and unity into an overtly political statement that crossed the line between representing the office of Prime Minister and nakedly partisan politics.

Having agreed with Labour to suspend electioneering out of respect for the victims, she delivered a campaign speech.

Mrs May outlined her fourpoint plan to tackle extremism – including longer prison sentences for extremists; and putting an end to segregated communities. There was no opportunity to question the PM about her blueprint, much of which goes far further than measures in the Tory manifesto.

We could not ask why Mrs May’s tolerance has

Our police, nurses, firefighters deserve a pay rise. They can’t get by on her warm words

JEREMY CORBYN CRITICISES THERESA MAY OVER PUBLIC-SECTOR WAGE CUTS finally run out when for six years she was the Home Secretary, overseeing counterterrorism measures.

Nor could we ask whether her cuts to police numbers could have contributed to the “new trend” in terrorism she has diagnosed. Officers warned Mrs May three years ago that fewer community police meant she was reducing the “eyes and ears” which could detect potential attackers.

The PM also replaced Labour’s control orders with Tpims. The anxiety about this was not just shared by the Opposition. Boris Johnson, when Mayor of London, said the “watering down” of control orders was a “mistake” and it handed the benefit of doubt to those who “wish us serious harm”.

It would have been good to ask Mrs May why the budget for the Border Force was cut on her watch. And why she resisted the call from the then Education Secretary Michael Gove for more action to tackle extremism in schools.

The responsibility for any terror attack lies with the terrorist. But the responsibility for trying to prevent attacks lies with those elected to keep our country safe.

For seven years that has lain with Mrs May.

She could have spoken for the country yesterday and tempered her response out of respect to the dead.

Instead, she spoke for herself and her party.

Which is why it is fair to hold her to account. DISSENT Boris Johnson